that money and lobby our government to ensure the continuation of abuse of trade professes. thank you so much. that does it for us. let's play "hardball." good evening, leading off tonight, realtime with bill maher. is nothing sacred? bill maher plays "hardball" tonight right up front on the midterms, the tea party, sarah palin and of course, the candidate who has shown two dozen times, the saucer's apprenti apprentice.

do you were this moment with president obama? >> quite frankly, i'm exhausted. of defending you, your administration, defending the mantle of change that i voted for and deeply disappointed where we are right now. >> well, the woman talking truth to the president is velma hart. she gins us to talk about how president obama has failed to meet his challenges. and we heard last night from the values voters summit and the attacks on muslim and the claim that president obama wants to impose sharia law. republicans are selling the scare. should some be worried? plus, just say no. late this afternoon, senate republicans voted down an effort to repeal the effort on gays serving openly in the united states military.

we'll get into the politics of that story and who wins that vote on november 2nd. and the diabolic talk of newt gingrich, who is raising hatred, anger and fear. we start with bill maher, the host of "real time." here he is, let's listen to the great man himself. i'm sorry, we're going to go right now to -- you know what? we're going to go to you on "real time." >> christine, if you're watching, i created you. you need to come on this show. if you don't come on this show, i'm going to show a clip every week. i'm the only one who has them. let me show this. this is from politically incorrect, like 1997 or something. >> you were a witch. >> i dabbled into witchcraft.

never joined a coven. >> you were a witch? >> i didn't join a coven. >> wait a minute, you're a witch -- >> i was a witch. that's exactly why. >> how? >> because i dabbled into witchcraft. i hung around people who were doing these things. i'm not making this up. i know what they told me they do. on one of my dates, my first date with a witch was on a satanic altar and i didn't know it. there was a little blood there. >> on a satanic altar? >> yeah, and had a little midnight picnic. >> that's the candidate for united states senator from delaware. here's her response. this is christine o'donnell going back at you. >> bill wanted ratings. i gave him ratings. i was in high school. who didn't have interesting

things in high school? >> bill, she says she was there to boost your ratings. >> my turn? >> yes, your turn. >> well, it's funny to me, chris, because this is the woman who claimed on another one of our episodes from the '90s, that she would not lie even in the case of hiding anne frank in her attic. annie said, really, if hitler was at the door, you wouldn't lie. she said no, god would find a way. she wouldn't lie in that instance, but she'd lie to get me ratings? that's a lie. but i like her. i don't think she's a meaningful liar. i like her a lot. i hope she comes on our show. >> why do you think she did bring up the fact?

what other motive could she have? >> she was always a forthright person. she's very sincere. there are some people who you feel like they're just saying it because you feel like that's what they want to hear. not christine. i also think that devout people love the story of redemption. they love it when you're with the devil and then throw them off for jesus. remember bush? he was never drunk before he was 40, then went on a walk on the beach. >> here she is on fox back in 2007. i think it was bill o'reilly. let's listen. >> american scientific companies are cross breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice, with fully functioning human brains. >> i don't know what to make of

that. i know elephants are afraid of mice, but must be really afraid of mice with human brains in them. >> yeah. it was a little unfortunate. i guess she read the article wrong. i don't know, but you know, when i saw this coverage of the witch stuff, i was laughing yesterday because that's not really important to the election. it's just a side show, as you would say. and it was funny. i don't think it should hurt her. it was something she was doing in high school. but when you think this about scientific issues facing this nation, people could be really helped by stem cell research. there are 37 republican candidates for the senate. not one believes global warming is real and manmade, except for one, mike castle, the one she

defeated in delaware. >> they don't believe in evolution, sign, they believe it's elitist thinking. >> yes, absolutely. i mean, there's lots of people who i like personally, who i don't think should be in congress. unfortunately, many are already in congress. but there's a difference between being a nice person and being fit for office. >> well you have a problem endorsing some of these people. i want you to respond to this. here's joe miller when caught by chris wallace with a question that wasn't a curve ball. a fastball down the middle. he's asking a reasonable question of the newly nominated senate candidate from alaska. >> do you think that sarah palin is qualified to be president and would you like to see her run? >> you know, i'm running a u.s. senate race in alaska.

that's what i'm focused on. i've been asked about various candidates throughout the country. that's not my role to comment on the candidacies. >> he won't give her an inch, this guy. >> but i think, chris, that this is actually very indicative because sarah palin just pulled i think 7% of the vote at the values summit. okay, if she can only get 7% of that crowd, maybe her popularity, her candidacy, is all a myth. if she can't get people like joe miller, one of her wing nuts from alaska to endorse her, more than 7% of the values voters, maybe her base isn't those people. maybe it's the media, which has nothing better to cover or does, but would rather go to sarah palin for news. >> that's maybe both true. the latest poll of republicans

on approval has her the highest approval of any republican figure. she's at 76%. maybe the question is what do they approve about her or for her. maybe job approve for someone without a job. i don't know. >> well, if that's among republicans as you say, you also have to consider that 52% of republicans think the president of the united states is sympathetic to terrorists who want to impose sharia law on this country. that's who you're dealing with. the group that's coming from. >> what do you make of newt gingrich making that charge? >> you know, i mean, i was never a big fan of newt gingrich when he was in office. i have no idea why the media is still knocking on his door now that he is not in office. i think that he is perhaps the most used guest on the sunday talk shows.

what's sad is newt used to be the thicker in that party. he was like the trot ski. this is the thinker? this is the reader? well, you know, in the land of midgets, pig mys cast tall shadows. >> here's bill clinton this morning on "good morning america." here he is. president bill clinton. >> american people can elect whomever they want, but she served not a full time term as governor. i don't know if she's going to run for president. but i think, i think she's clearly a public figure who is -- who speaks well and purr swasively to the people who listen to her and she's somebody to be reckoned with. >> there's the president. he's a good judge of horse

flesh, as we say. he's not underestimating her, bill. >> horse flesh. let's not go back to that craze. and leave monica out of this. actually, he made a very good point. she was the governor of the state with no people. for half a term. there has to be a little higher bar, i think, for running for office than just having a facebook page. and speaking of that, you know, there are four states in this country, delaware is another. alaska is one. i think vermont and maybe north dakota, forgive me if that's wrong, that are so tiny that they have two senators and one congressman, yet they have two senators from delaware and alaska representing like a few hundred thousand people and one senator from my state of california represents 18 million. i know the tea baggers are on that issue, so sometimes, even a broke clock the right.

>> i think they still like the little states to get their too big senators. let me ask you about jimmy carter. they -- they don't want the people to pick their senators. they want the state legislators to pick the senate. preside carter, i worked for him once. he's an interesting guy. what do you make of his latest statements about being different than the former presidents? >> i love jimmy carter. he is so honest and out there. sometimes, i hear people say, oh, obama, his term could become like jimmy carter's. yeah, i wish. he did some real bold things, like returning the panama canal. could you see a president trying to do that today? or getting on national television and telling the american people that they're lazy and they're using too much

energy? remember that speech? i like jimmy carter. this country needs more of that forthright honesty. that's the great thing about being old. you don't give a rat's ass anymore. >> thank you. i love getting on your show once in a while. "real time" airs friday nights on hbo. coming up, why is newt gingrich talking about why liberals are wants to impose sharia? we get the latest polls on key november election races. we're going to check the "hardball" scoreboard when we come back. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. lord of the carry-on. sovereign of the security line. you never take an upgrade for granted. and you rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle.

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of the national economic council is leaving at the end of this year. he's the thinker of it all. john harwood reports he will return to harvard. it would leave geithner as the only top tier member of the team. "hardball," back after this. [ engine revving ]

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...six years ago. [ wind howling ] nissan. innovation for safety. innovation for all. time for the "hardball" scoreboa scoreboard. we begin tonight in west virginia and it's shocking number. popular governor joe mansion, a democrat, now trailing in the race for senate republican, john raese. even though most voters in west virginia approve, a majority say they want republicans controlling congress. now to wisconsin where the news

isn't good for senator russ feingold. the ppp shows feingold trailing ron johnson by 11 points. and an update on the big governor's race in california. jerry brown has a five-point lead over meg whitman and she's obviously trying perhaps unsuccessfully to buy that race. muslim bashing right now is one of the themes of the value voters summit this past weekend and newt gingrich leads the way in whipping it in this country. here he is stoking fear in what he calls the threat of sharia law. >> i have no problem with the mosques in new york city that are peaceful and obey american law, but i am opposed to any effort to impose sharia on the united states and we should have -- we should have a federal law that says under no

circumstances in any jurisdiction in the united states, will sharia be used in any court to apply to any judgment made about american law. and we should make clear to justice breyer and kagan, who both seem confused on this topic, that no judge will remain in office who tries to use sharia law. >> is bashing the muslim religion become the new mccarthyism in this country? i'm amazed. i don't know what to say. why is he saying this stuff? >> you know, for political gain. he thinks that muslim bashing is a winner. that's the only reasonable explanation. it's an absurd thing to say. a federal law that no court would impose sharia law.

>> like whipping, caning, beheading, stoning? >> as if that's a remote possibility. it's ridiculous on its face. >> but why -- newt has had a reputation as having an iq. he doesn't have a drinking problem. what is his excuse for saying things that aren't true. sotomayor, racist. sherrod, racist. the president thinks like a kenyan. these comments keep getting higher and higher on the crazy score from a man who's not crazy. is it evil? >> i think two things. one, i think he's not -- nobody's going to get to the right of newt on these issues. and so, you know, whoever's out there waving the kind of judeo, christian, white american banner, newt's not going to be

outwaved. the second thing is, i think that on an intellectual level, perhaps he buys into the -- >> is this how a guy in his third marriage does it? you find some common ground from the far right, you show you hate as much they do and therefore, you might be a good, christian gentleman? >> perhaps. i'm against icelandic law. icelandic law. russian law. we should not apply them in united states courts. he is underestimated by a lot of people on how seriously he could be. i think he's going to run and if you think about how this election is going to break down, there are going to be party regulars. mitt romney being the de facto front-runner of that group. the other people, some of which

is native, some of which does think the president is a muslim, some of which is not comfortable with an african-american president. that group -- >> somebody's been working and living off the federal payroll for a good part of his life. >> he is a hero to the republican grass roots. there is not a politician apart from sarah palin who can go and get thousands of people, they think he's a hero. >> people got to get used to hearing what they're hearing from this guy because it's so weird. here he is a couple of months ago bashing the left as he calls it, for not taking the sharia threat seriously. >> sharia is a direct, mortal threat to virtually every value that the left has. it's really one of the most interesting historical

questions. >> you know, i think there was a communist thread. it was smaller than mccarthy admitted. some people were agents. he saw hundreds and hundreds of people in the department. is this guy taking a weird case in new jersey where the judge thought the guy had a relationship with his wife and justified his behavior? he was overruled by appellate court and turned it into some threat. >> that case to which you refer was a family court judge. obviously not the brightest bulb in the judicial chandelier, who made a bone headed decision and was reversed. >> even he didn't recognize. if he thought he wasn't committing a crime, then somehow

it wasn't a crime. it doesn't matter what he thinks. rape is a crime. almost a capital crime and we're going to condemn it. >> exactly. >> what's newt talking about? >> good question. he's talking about this gigantic threat of sharia, which doesn't exist. >> this is their hiding under the bed thing is going to work. >> i am surprised when i am in the country, how few people this resognates this. there are a lot of people when you say, how do you feel about the ground zero mosque, if you're in iowa and people say, i don't give a damn. i care about my job. i think most people are totally switched off to these issues. >> be careful here because this is a cultural piece. when they give these rallies and

they're pretty wild. we want our country back. they're not talking about unemployment and real problems. they're talking about somebody, forces of evil or whatever, had taken over their country. they're talking about sharia, islamic -- the black president. >> they're talking about the first african-american president, who has the name barack hussein obama and whom they are painting as alien and foreign and you know, dangerous person. >> and his father is channelling him to fight the british oppression. here he is. here's what newt gingrich said. i used to grow up reading that magazine. it was serious and very antibias, by the way --

he's really a kenyan guy over there thinking like that against the british oppressives who he now sees as the white ruling class from wall street. that's the way newt's selling it. >> part of the thing for a lot of these people who believe -- they said, i want our country back, they're talking more generally about the liberal conspiracy to take over and teach condoms in the schools. >> good old american left. >> homo sexuals in the military are trying to get in. this is a new way for them to hook in to the same animosities that the republicans played on successfully. >> they don't need it. they got the key to the door. it's unemployment. thank you, guys. i got some real pros here, by the way.

i am humbled. up next, lisa murkowski's running as a write-in candidate, but if they can't spell her name -- apparently, the judge is going to help the voters. you're watching "hardball." we need directions to go to... pearblossom highway? it's just outside of lancaster. sure, i can download directions for you now. we got it. thank you very much! check it out. i can like, see everything that's going on with the car. here's the gas level. i can check on the oil. i can unlock it from anywhere. i've received a signal there was a crash. some guy just cut me off. i'll get an ambulance to you right away. safely connecting you in ways you never thought possible. onstar. live on. i but i justve my 5 employcan't afford it.ance, i have diabetes. i didn't miss a premium payment for 10 years. and i'm worried if i lose my job, i won't be able to afford insurance. when i graduated from college,

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back to "hardball" now to "side show." remember to spell check. lisa murkowski has a write in campaign. she wants voters to write in her name on the ballot to vote for her. that means people need to know how to write her name. look at the bottom of the screen. murkowski is missing an "o." up next, jimmy carter went

on "the daily show" with jon stewart. >> had it not been for the dissatisfaction with washington, i would not have been elected, but i'm not completely compelled with the tea party. i haven't been involved in witchcraft. >> right. the only thing i would say to that is you're only 85, give it time. >> and president carter wasn't the only ex president hitting television. here's bill clinton on david letterman talking about his new son-in-law. >> if i remember in your position, here's how i would want this. i'd want him to be a little scared. is he? >> i don't think so. he was good enough to come and ask for my permission. >> oh. >> which i appreciated.

>> now, you've balanced out the family. two women, two men. >> yeah, i finally have a chance. that was -- my main goal was to have a chance. hillary wanted this marriage because she wants to be a grandmother more than she wanted to be president. >> next up, dirt ball. new york's fight for governor is getting very dirty. look at this flier that carl paladino put out. in response -- when attorney general cuomo got a look at the ad, he blue the whistle. up next, in yesterday's cnbc town hall, velma hart told president obama she's exhausted from having to defend him. she represents thousands of

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i'm hastocks mixed -- the d jones's adding seven points, the nasdaq falling six. no big change in tone from the fed. more indications of concern about the slow pace of recovery and more promises to step in if needed. meanwhile, a surprise jump in new housing starts was a sign the sector could be stabilizing.

in stocks, vivus's new weight loss drug is going better than expected. carnival cruise lines are higher on a bigger than expected boost in quarterly sales, but shares in adobe are tumbling. that's it from cnbc, first in business worldwide. now, back to "hardball." quite frankly, i'm exhausted. exhausted of defending you, y r your -- >> velma hart gave voice to the

frustrations of many middle class americans. she's the national finance director and cfo for a veteran's organization. she served in the army reserve for almost a decade. welcome. >> thank you so much. >> what you did i thought yesterday was speak clearly about american life. when you talked about how you used to have to have hot dogs and beans as the main dinner because it was inexpensive and you fear you may have to go back to that and one kid heading to college, i think you captured the reality of a lot of americans. >> appreciate you saying that because that's my reality. i'm worried. i shouldn't be. i should have confidence in our leaders, but i'm getting a little anxious and the other thing i'm concerned about is a lot of other people are getting anxious. anxious people do desperate things and i'd like for us to avoid that.

>> do you think the president of the united states has in his office, the power to dramatically reduce the unemployment rate? >> single handedly, absolutely not. this is a democracy for a reason and i respect that. however, he is our chief and the hard questions have to go to him. i deeply respect the president. i appreciate his contributions, the progress we've made to date, but i'm troubled. i hope at some point, even though i knew i had to defend him and why i voted for him and i was good with that, i hoped at some point, it would become easier to defend him and it's still very hard and may get harder by design. >> i want you to grade his answer here. here's the answer to your question. he talked about what he had done in terms of credit card issues as president. let's listen. >> if you have a credit card, which i assume you do -- >> no. >> now, you really -- now you're showing how responsible you are.

>> then he goes and talks about his achievements. he goes more into it here. >> as a consequence of the changes we made, the credit card companies can't increase your interest rate without notifying you if your child had a preexisting condition. before i took office, you were out of luck in terms of being able to get health insurance for that child. there are a whole host of things that we've put in place that do make your life better. >> what did you make of that because you were saying times were tough and he talked about the reality of life and he was telling you stuff you didn't know, but do you think it was helpful? >> the changes he outlined, credit card changes, the scholarship changes, those are positive changes, they just won't affect me at this time. he also, i appreciated the fact

he allowed me to joke with him. of course i have a credit card. is there an american that doesn't? the thing that i was left with in the answer is that those are great things, mr. president, and no question, you've made progress and we appreciate that, however, we want to feel it. >> what was he supposed to say? we have almost 9.6% unemployment rate. is he supposed to say it's coming down, anything that would make you happy? >> he was very candid and honest about the fact that he knows times are hard and he was not there to defend how difficult things were and i appreciated that because i think that's the honest answer. i think the opening for me was is this the new reality. and i don't think he touched -- i did. >> that's a great question. my wife calls that the reset and says we may be in for a reset, people hoping to have a certain life for their kids have to

downgrade that. >> one of the questions i've been asked is velma, you appear to be doing pretty good. two kids in private schools, you have a job an your husband has a job. it's all relative. there are compromises we make to send our children to private schools. i'd like a new car. my car is having issues. we delayed that and it's a deliberate decision. there are other things we're doing and making decisions every day just like everybody else. we are looking at our 401(k) plans and determining how much we can afford. we're looking at the tax bill for our house and seeing the value of that drop. >> what do you think the government can do, democracy, that he could be doing to reduce damatically the unemployment

rate? how does he reduce it dramatically? >> i absolutely don't know the answer to that. i think someone said yesterday that that was one of the questions they had and they don't know the absolute answer to that. but i think it's necessary because that's the way we're going to build consumer confidence. that's the way things like the stimulus will work because when consumers are confident and they're not fearful, they'll spend and invest in the economy. >> it's a vicious circle. we can give them all the speeches in the world. >> what's important to us, chris, is that the organization i work for, we're at war. we're bringing veterans home all the time coming home maimed sometimes or from a normal tour and they can't find employment, housing. they can't protect their families. thank you for saying that. i appreciate that. >> thank you.

velma hart. i think it's great. i think it helped the president. shook him loose a little bit to see that clear, confident voice. i think he's a little surrounded by yes people. >> well, i want to say for the record, i am a supporter and i i believe in the vision and i'm hoping he's going to come through. i have great faith in him and i think he will. senate republicans block a vote on repeals don't ask don't tell. only got 53 votes. it takes 60. we'll get to the politics of that one when we return. no republicans voted for repeal. this is "hardball," only on msnbc. [ woman ] when you want a bank that travels with you. with you when you're ready for the next move. [ male announcer ] now that wells fargo and wachovia have come together, what's in it for you? unprecedented strength, the stability of the leading community bank in the nation and with 12,000 atms and thousands of branches, we're with you in more ways and places than ever before. with you when you want the most from your bank. [ male announcer ] wells fargo. together we'll go far.

national journal has a new poll number that gives you an idea of how toxic the political chi climate is. 49% of americans say they admire political leaders who refuse to compromise. among republicans, the number is

up to 62%. they don't like politicians willing to make compromise. it gives you a sense of why the all or nothing attitude of today's tea party has the momentum heading into november. democrats are more open to compromise this fall. we'll be right back. maybe you want to provide meals for the needy. or maybe you want to help when the unexpected happens. whatever you want to do, members project from american express can help you take the first step. vote, volunteer, or donate for the causes you believe in at membersproject.com. take charge of making a difference. hey what's going on? doing the shipping. man, it would be a lot easier if we didn't have to weigh 'em all. if those boxes are under 70 lbs. you don't have to weigh 'em. with these priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service, if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. no weigh? nope. no way. yeah.

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...six years ago. [ wind howling ] nissan. innovation for safety. innovation for all. today, republicans voted down an effort to repeal don't ask don't tell. but why did harry reid bring it to vote now? what are the politics of play today? alex nicholson is founder of the nation's largest organization of

veterans. first question, the big one. why did it go down. >> because senator reid essentially made it unpalatable for republicans. i think the poison pill was not allowing any republican amendments on it. he says it's because i believe he doesn't want republicans screwing with some of the other provisions. we think however, that senator reid was under a lot of pressure to bring this bill up. he brought it up, but so that it would fail and republicans would be able to be blamed. >> who was pushing to bring it up? >> our community was. we put a lot of pressure on him. i think it was under a lot of other pressure as well, but also significant pressure from those in his own party to not bring it up before the midterm elections. >> let me go to josh for a political assessment. a complete analysis.

did he bring this up just to get votes to save his seat in nevada, josh? is that what is this is about? a big gender gap out there women tend to be supportive of gay issues, gay opportunity and rights, is this to jack up the women with vote, the gay vote in his campaign to get re-elected in a very close call out there? >> i don't think that is the reason. i think that is the reason he brought this up in connection with the dream act, the immigration provision that he wanted to tack on here, so this became a vehicle for that. and in terms of a constituency he needs to appeal to out in nevada, the latinos, the hispanic vote out there could be absolutely critical and he thought this was the way to get their measure up and show them, the democrats, including him, were in their corner. and that is another group that has been disaffected from the democratic party in the last year or so. >> that is the question i have, you know, a commission report coming out of the military later this year why not wait for the commission report? >> it is not necessary to wait for the commission report. the amendment as it is currently designed, the deal that we struck, completely respects the

study, the comprehensive review working group t wouldn't even go into effect until well after the commission. >> this is the cart before the horse. shouldn't you have the vote after you see the information? why have the information presented to you if you don't think it is relevant? >> the thing to remember -- >> you know what i'm saying? why have it studied by the military -- your thought here, josh? i'm sorry. >> a very simple reason for that, the people who advocate repeal are worried that after december, nothing much gets done in december so we are talking about next year and they won't have the votes anymore. so the idea was to put in sort of a time bomb conditional repeal that could be acted on by the pentagon and the administration next year when there may be no votes or no desire to take this issue up at all. >> so they thought they could get the vote in principle this time and have it acted on perhaps in a lame duck as well, right? >> i think they -- well, part of this would have to be brought up in the lame duck in terms of a conference committee report. >> okay. >> but they are concerned that

even in a lame duck, might have troubles moving this even senators like russ feingold oppose lame duck legislation and could be further away from votes in getting this done as a lame duck. no republicans voted for this, not the two senators from maine, not the people open to it nobody. the fact it lost a bunch of -- a bump of democrats today. what do we make of that? it only got 53-59 democrats. >> i think mark pryor and blanche lincoln were at the top of our list of democrats to worry b i think had a couple of republicans voted with us, had it been palatable to vote with us, they certainly would have been on board. keep in mind, we had the votes lined up, we had them up, we had commit thements, implicit or explicit. >> you are seven short, six short because harry reid would have flipped the other watch. >> harry reid was procedural. we firmly believe susan colins would have voted with us, had it been amount mall, george voinovich would have voted with

us and lincoln and pryor voted with us as well. chris, the important thing to keep in mind about the study like you were talking about, it was never intended to inform the legislative process. it was always meant to be and sold us to as a wholly internal study for the dod to identify issues. go. to the politics question again. josh, what i don't understand, the american people overwhelmingly support open service. it is the one thing in our life that has really changed in terms of social issues it is not like abortion issues that take time to change or go back and forth. this one has been a pendulum swinging directly in one direction toward open service. why is the senate behind the public to on this? >> i think that behind the public because they always lag the public somewhat but also because we are in this incredibly polarized primary political climate now going to this november election. republicans are very, very concern and all they are concerned about is their base and among the base, that is probably the only area where you can find significant resistance to changing this who willcy. i think you have that element of

the republican party basically dictating the response and seeing that incredible lockstep vote from republicans today, extending even to people like susan collins, who says she supports repeal but just didn't like the way that harry reid was doing this. >> okay, so you have a vote that's way short today. when is their next chance to do this? >> i think right after we come back from the midterms. >> so, what's gonna happen? >> i think we will move forward then. you know it is going to be a little bit of a free-for-all. we don't know exactly the calculus is going to change. we are still optimistic about it. you know, that's all i would say. we will leave it at that we are optimistic about it. >> there will be a lame duck? >> i think it will definitely come up in lame duck. >> josh there going to be a lame duck? >> there will be a lame duck session. i'm for from sure this will go through or the vote any easier if it doesn't happen, i think you are talking about a bloodbath of recrimination, both among gay rights advocacy groups and involving the white house

for not having done enough of a heavy lift here to get this done. >> anybody going to win today? a win for anybody here, except harry reid? help anybody for trying to, e for effort? >> i don't think it does. i think he wanted it to. >> thanks, alex nicholson, josh gear steen, thanks for analysis. when we return, speak of the devil, gingrich has reached new depths. you are watching "hardball" on msnbc. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. lord of the carry-on. sovereign of the security line. you never take an upgrade for granted. and you rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle. and go. you can even take a full-size or above. and still pay the mid-size price. i deserve this. [ male announcer ] you do, business pro. you do.

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let me finish tonight with a political force that is truly diabolic, newt gingrich. newt gingrich comes to us as methistopheles, offers no pleasure or happiness, only trouble itself, we got trouble are. he calls good people racist, people like sonia sotomayor, and shirley sherrod. he doesn't beat around the broad, he calls them racist in broad daylight w president obama, he gets more vicious, more weirdly particular. he says the president has the mind of a kenyan. what is this man doing in our public life? why are we living in a public square so dominated by the eye of gnut? diabolically, he speaks on any matter that will cause hatred, anger or fear or all three. he warned this past week that we are in danger this united states of america, our country, being placed under sharia law. he declared his opposition to what he called any effort to impose, that was his word, impose, shari ya on the united states, you know, arms and legs being cut off,